1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a relaxant device of the muscle fascicles suitable for preventing and reducing the symptoms due to inflammation of the cervical tract.
2. Description of the Related Art
As known, one of the parts of the human body which most frequently is a source of pain and functional inability, even regardless of traumatic events, is the cervical tract of the vertebral column.
The origin and development of these symptoms are most diverse, but they often occur in apparently healthy and non-traumatised individuals, hence in a large portion of the population.
As a matter of fact, the cervical column is an anatomically rather complex apparatus; it is restrained by a number of strong ligaments, which keep together the individual vertebral segments, and it is embedded in a muscular apparatus supporting and moving in coordination and harmoniously the entire spine and the head. The main muscles involved in this portion of spine are the trapezius muscles, which support the neck and the head, and the sternocleidomastoid, which control the rotation thereof. Next to these main muscles there exists a number of other small muscle fascicles, such as the four pairs of muscles of the cervical vertebrae. Altogether there are 19 muscles acting with rather short lever arms. Moreover, the neck portion contains, in a reduced space, vertebrae, ligaments, muscles, nerves and glands, all in a surprising function and interactivity. Moreover, the final tract of the spine has a natural lordotic curve, with a frontward convexity, which is important for correct absorption of movements.
All these elements of complexity are in a perfect balance which, as can be guessed, allows to achieve excellent functionality, but which is also rather critical and delicate and hence, due to traumatic events or prolonged incorrect postures, it may be impaired, causing unwelcome symptoms.
Very often the appearance of the first disorders is linked to an incorrect posture, possibly maintained for a long time (for example many hours in front of a computer terminal), which causes abnormal contractions of the neck muscles, which unduly load the spine elements and the relative intervertebral discs.
The symptoms of “cervical inflammation” then worsen and become chronic over time, because an exacerbation of the inflammation occurs, due to further muscular contraction. As a matter of fact, as a reaction to pain, the individual suffering from cervical pain tends to contract the neck muscles, which further stresses the cervical area, worsening the painful symptoms.
FIG. 1 shows a diagram of the forces acting on the cervical tract of the spine: as it can be seen, the force M imparted by the muscle fascicles of the neck to support the head—i.e. to balance weight force P, which acts on centre of gravity CG of the skull, with respect to the rotation fulcrum—discharges onto the cervical vertebrae. In particular, this muscle force expresses itself through a vector M which may ideally be decomposed into a vertical component, suitable to balance weight force P (the two forces acting through respective arms 1 and 2 with respect to the rotation fulcrum), and a horizontal component, which discharges transversely onto the cervical vertebrae producing shear stress.
The greater contraction of the muscles, due to pain, causes an increase of such force M, which remarkably worsens the condition of load on the intervertebral discs, which is the origin of the painful symptoms.
As a matter of fact, it has been observed, finding evident experimental proof thereof, that contractures and muscular spasms of these muscles of the cervical spine are one of the fundamental causes of the dysfunctions and of the painful events affecting some individuals.
Therefore, up until today, as a non-pharmacological corrective measure, it has been resorted to physiotherapeutic applications and to mechanical systems to lighten the load on intervertebral discs. One of the most widespread mechanical systems consists of rigid or inflatable orthopaedic collars.
As can be well understood, orthopaedic collars are not welcome by most people, especially if a long-term treatment is provided. As a matter of fact, they are bulky and uncomfortable to wear—both because they prevent head movements, and because they limit the body's natural breathing of the neck portion—as well as being aesthetically unpleasing and conspicuous.